Walking alone at night

Maybe I`m a scaredy cat, but I won`t even go into the backyard after dark, even if it`s still fairly early. I`ve never liked the dark, but there have been so many attacks on folk in this town over the last couple of years, I`m worse than ever now.

As a young woman I enjoyed a night time walk when it was quiet. Now I'm more likely to be worried about falling over something as my night vision has deteriorated. Granted I've never lived in a big town or city and I am still very much aware of my surroundings. I have never felt threatened when alone though my son now insists on walking me home if I visit him when it is dark! I have pointed out to him the statistics show that young men are more likely to be attacked or murdered than women. Most attacks and murders of women are by partners or ex partners and are more likely to be at home. I think the ratio on the whole is about 70% men and 30% are women. Not only that but the number of murders has been decreasing over the decades, particularly if you subtract the terrorist attacks or the mass murderers like Harold Shipman or the Wests from the figures.

I believe the way the media report the crimes against women is what causes a lot of the fear and is completely out of proportion. Horrible though any killing is we rarely hear big news about a young man dying which is much more common. Please don't get me wrong my heart goes out to all the families that have suffered and for them it is huge whether it be a male or a female.

I do occasionally but only in my own area

I'm not sure we are the right age demographic to ask this, as many will already not be going out alone at night anyway. It's our daughters who should be asked. I would say if I were their age I still wouldn't be wandering around alone at night unless it was unavoidable. But what is 'night' anyway, just after dark or later in the evening? Depending on where you live there may be plenty of people and activity early evening or it may be deathly quiet and lonely. So whether anyone walks alone at night depends on a lot of factors.

I go out at night quite frequently but only to pubs or restaurants and I always drive or get a taxi. I tend to use car parks attached to the pub or street parking very close by. It’s usually not very late either when I go home, certainly before 11pm. I have never not felt safe, but I’m not walking far, just from car to door.

I don’t think I would park in a little used car park or an out of the way side street though.

I would in my local area. But only near home. I wouldn't walk long distances.

I haven’t been out after dark since the first lockdown and wonder if I ever will. My confidence has been severely eroded, not helped by the needs of a very fragile husband, and somehow walking in our unlit village feels less safe than it did.